Star Fox : Tyro Squad - Module 1
by Grant Crose
Summary: Marcus McCloud is about to begin his journey on the Lylat Confederation Training Institute, a new place for brave people with the will to protect the galaxy, with a great test just waiting for him. Note: This is a work of mere fiction, any supernatural concept depicted here shall not be believed in or practiced in any way. Violence of any kind is not encouraged in any way.
1. Pilot

The great ship was flying through the stars of Lylat, on its way to the Lylat Confederation Training Institute, which was located on Aquas. The ship had lots of rooms and places, it was like a big, flying mansion, gray and white from the outside as on the inside, each initiate had an individual room, but in that moment, everyone was outside, on the lobby, on those typical reunions to supposedly get to know everybody at the beginning of college.

Marcus McCloud, son of one of the most famous pilots on the galaxy and former member of Star Fox, Fox McCloud, was already an adult and had the blue fur of his mother, he was trying to follow the steps of his disappeared father, everyone said he was dead, but for Marcus, that was still a mystery, he was sitting alone on a couch near of the cafeteria, wearing a white vest and black pants, looking at the stars through the glass of the ceiling, for him, the darkness of space represented various things like danger, uncertainty or adventure, he was focused on his thoughts until he was interrupted by a young, orange male cat who was just standing at his side, he was using a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans. "I'm Lionel." The cat said.

Marcus looked at him a little scared. "Uhm, hello, I'm Marcus."

"Did I do well?" Lionel asked a little nervous.

Marcus looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Lionel took some kind of manual from his backpack. "Here it says that I have to take the first step randomly to increase my possibilities of having friends."

"So, appearing out of nowhere in front of someone and awkwardly saying your name, is your guide to make friends?" Marcus said.

Lionel thought for a moment, then he nodded and spoke. "Basically."

"Then I can assure you that the author of that manual has no friends at all." Marcus chuckled.

Lionel sighed. "Right." He put away his manual. "Sorry." He began to walk away from Marcus.

"Hey." Marcus said. "Where do you come from?"

"It worked." Lionel thought, then he answered Marcus' question. "I, uhm, am from a…planet."

Marcus sighed. "Really?"

"Yes! I…you are being sarcastic isn't it?" Lionel's gaze went to the ground.

Marcus laughed a little. "You really need that guide isn't it? Just say it, don't think about it."

"Uhm…I am from Katina." Lionel answered, then he sat down next to Marcus.

"See? We are talking." Marcus said. "Aren't you too young to be here, how many? Twenty one?"

"Twenty two with two months and twelve days." Lionel answered, then he took out his laptop. "Aren't you too old for this?" Lionel said.

"Hey…thirty isn't that much." Marcus thought for a moment after saying that. "Still, it's not your business, I will be a great pilot anyway."

Lionel was typing some stuff on his computer. "Meanwhile, I will be safe in my office putting codes on this thing."

"Isn't that a little, boring?" Marcus asked.

Lionel was focused on the screen while talking with Marcus. "Well I have always wanted to do this you know, codes, maths, computers, keyboards, wires…and…codes…"

Marcus chuckled. "You are afraid of flying."

"It freaks me out." Lionel said. "It's a shame that I'll never be a true hero."

"What are you talking about?" Marcus said.

"People admire great pilots, like Falco Lombardi and Fox McCloud, no one cares about the technicians." Lionel closed the screen of his laptop and put it away.

"You should give yourself more credit, you are the ones who make the ships' computers work, they are like, the heart, you know." Marcus said.

Lionel nodded. "It makes sense." He looked at Marcus. "Thanks."

Marcus stood up and extended his hand towards Lionel. "Marcus McCloud."

Lionel also stood up and shook Marcus' hand. "Lionel Pearson." Suddenly, his eyes widened. "McCloud, you are, like, son of…"

Marcus nodded. "Yeah, I don't like to talk too much about that."

"Oh, sure, sure, don't worry, my bad." Lionel said.

Marcus sighed. "No problem, nothing personal."

A voice came from the giant speakers that were on the ceiling. "All initiates, please take a seat on the provisional hall that we have prepared on the center, director Lincoln will say a brief speech."

"Let's go." Marcus said, Lionel followed him, then they sat down a few rows in front of the stage.

Marcus looked around, then he noticed the woman that was sitting at his right, she was a wolf and her fur was gray, she was wearing a red full bodysuit. He wanted to start a conversation. "Hi."

She didn't look at him. "Hi." She said with indifference.

Marcus crossed his arms. "So…how are you?"

"Busy." She said, then stood up and looked for another chair.

Marcus remained looking at the stage, confused and a little disappointed.

"Do you need the manual?" Lionel asked Marcus while holding the book right in front of his face.

"Give me that!" Marcus snatched Lionels manual.

The speakers sounded again. "Attention please, give an applause to director Lincoln." Everybody began to clap, then a male otter who was dressed with a military uniform and a green cap went to the stage. "Thank you, thank you very much." He quit his cap off. "First of all, guns, bombs, tasers or any kind of weapon are prohibited, I'll make it easy for you, you will get rid of them, or we will get rid of you." A group of initiates from the last row stood up and went to the hallway. "And the most important, no cellphones." The majority of the audience stood up and ran towards their respective floors. "Thanks." Lincoln said. "Well, it seems that our audience was reduced to the ones who read the rules before registering." There were only Marcus, Lionel, the wolf who ignored Marcus and a small group in the rows of the middle. "It's a shame that the others won't listen to my wonderful speech." A few laughs could be heard. "Seriously, listen well, consider yourselves privileged." Lincoln sighed before speaking. "Learn, everytime, every moment, that's why I am where I am now." He went downstairs and left the stage.

"Uhm, that's all? That was his epic speech?" Marcus murmured. "Hey…are you crying?"

Lionel cleaned a tear from his face. "Extraordinary." He said with a broken voice, then he stood up and began to clap, alone.

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Li…Lionel, everybody is gone." He sighed. "Whatever."

The lights from the ship turned red, the alarms activated, then all of a sudden everything went back to normal. "What was that?" Lionel said. All of the initiates had already returned to see what happened.

"A hijacking." A male doberman dog appeared from a hallway alongside two other people, they were a female tiger and a black, male wolf, they were all wearing old pants and black jackets, the doberman kept speaking. "Now, take us where the weapons are."

"There are no weapons here." Marcus said.

The doberman sighed. "Wait." He walked towards the tiger. "Laura…did you do the research?."

"Don't blame me, Kendrick, you said big ship, this is a big ship." Laura answered.

"Yeah! But this is an institute! what are we gonna steal?! Books? Pencils? Instant food?"

Kendrick scolded her.

"I'm in for the instant food!" The black wolf raised his hand.

"I was being sarcastic Gottfried…!" Kendrick sighed. "Alright." He began to shoot to the air with his plasma rifle.

A lot of people was screaming, the pirates surrounded them, pointing with their weapons but Marcus and Lionel were able to sneak out between the crowd. "Just run, don't look back." Marcus said while escaping.

"I knew it! I should've been a cobbler!" Lionel yelled before they entered the computer room.

Marcus locked the room. "We are…" He was panting, he took a few breaths to recover air. "Safe…" Marcus sat down on the floor. "A cobbler? that has nothing to do with codes and wires, you know?"

"Instinct." Lionel sat on a chair, he was also panting.

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Instinct?, that doesn't make any…wait that's not relevant right now! The ship has been hijacked by crazy pirates!" He sighed. "We need to do something."

"Just wait." A male crow who was sitting on a corner and using his cellphone said suddenly.

"Whoa!" Marcus freaked out. "Where did you…? You could've said hello at least, also, cellphones are prohibited."

"Uhm…and?" The crow said.

"It's a nice argument." Lionel said while pressing the power button of one of the computers.

"Aren't we going to do anything?" Marcus stood up.

"The crow has a point, there is more probability for us to survive if we stay here." Lionel said.

"Thank you! And I'm Burt, by the way." The crow said.

"Yeah yeah nice to meet you I'm Marcus he is Lionel and we are hostages!" Marcus shouted.

Burt and Lionel remained silent.

Marcus nodded. "Alright, alright, I am going outside and I'll search for more help!" He sounded upset, then he closed the door violently and exited the room.

Lionel kept his gaze on the door. "Do you think he'll be back?"

"There are pirates outside, does that answer your question?" Burt was still focused on the screen of his phone.

Silence remained until Lionel spoke. "Do you want to be my friend?"

Meanwhile, Marcus was walking backwards through the dark hallway, watching his back, then he felt like if his shoulder had touched someone else. "Ahh!" He shouted and turned around, then a hand was suddenly covering his muzzle.

"Shh." The other person said.

Marcus quit the hand off his muzzle aggressively. "Why is everyone appearing like that?!" He said. "Oh, it is you…" He crossed his arms when he realized he was in front of the woman who had ignored him before the speech.

"Be quiet!" She said. "Listen, I know how to deal with this guys but I need your help."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Now I exist."

"What? Oh, now I remember, you are the friendly one." The wolf said.

"And you are the meanest person I've ever met." Marcus responded.

"I am reserved, okay?" She sighed. "Sandra Kennedy." She extended her hand.

Marcus tried to ignore her, but then he shook her hand. "Marcus McCloud."

Sandra raised an eyebrow. "Really? You are the son of Fox?"

Marcus nodded, then he tried to change the conversation. "What's the plan?"

"Are you with more?" Sandra asked.

"Come on guys!, get everything of value you can and bring it here, not you director, you are staying here." Kendrick put the tip of his gun on Lincoln's forehead.

"You will not get away with this." Lincoln said angrily.

"Oh are you that sure?! Time will tell." Kendrick hit him with his gun and he fell down unconscious.

"Now! I'm pretty sure you have a safe here, who has the combination!" Kendrick shouted.

"He has it, genius!" A hostage said, which made everyone to laugh out loud.

Kendrick got angry. "Shut up already!" He shot repeatedly at the walls. "Laura! Help me find valious things, Gottfried, you will keep an eye on them, one move, one shot."

Gottfried nodded. "Okay boss." He stood still.

"Not you! Them!" Kendrick growled.

"Brilliant, you are just so brilliant." Laura said to Kendrick while they were heading towards a hallway.

Marcus and Sandra entered to the computer room. "Good news! We got a plan and an ally, she is Sandra, Sandra, my new friends."

"Friends?" Burt said upset.

"Friends!?" Lionel exclaimed with joy.

"What a good team." Sandra crossed her arms.

"Since when we are a…" Burt was interrupted.

"Team…" Lionel's eyes showed pure happiness.

"Sandra." Marcus said.

Sandra nodded. "The pirates like valuable things, right? Well, there is something that this ship has in abundance."

Lionel raised his hand. "Instant food?"

Sandra growled. "No, let me finish…"

"Fancy clothes?" Burt interrupted her.

"No!, technology! Fancy clothes, why would they?! Just listen, the director's computer has a direct link with the special forces, we need to access it before the pirates do first, but obviously, it's password protected, so, if there is a way we could hack the computer and call them, those pirates won't even know what hit them."

"Oh yeah, there is a way. "Lionel said. "But wouldn't it be more easy if we just call the director so he can unblock the computer?"

Sandra sighed. "He is a hostage! Remember?"

"Oh…yeah you are right." Lionel began to type some code lines on the computer.

Burt chuckled. "How do we even know they haven't stole that computer yet?"

"We don't" Marcus said. "That's why we will go to Lincoln's office and find out."

Burt sighed. "Do what you want, I'll stay here."

"I'm creating a program to access the computer, give me, uhm, half an hour." Lionel said.

Marcus nodded. "Burt, you are coming with us."

"I am busy here." Burt was holding his phone like if he was playing some sort of game.

Marcus growled. "No! Lionel is staying, we need your help."

"Is useless." Sandra said. "Forget him, we need to keep moving.

Marcus sighed. "Fine." He opened the door, Sandra exited the room first. "Keep an eye on the door at least."

"Whatever." Burt said carelessly.

"We'll be back soon." Marcus left the room and closed the door.

Marcus and Sandra were running fast through the hallway, searching for the director's office. "These are lots of rooms, how are we going to find that office?" Marcus said while running.

"Uhm, maybe that one that says director Lincoln?" Sandra stopped running and pointed at the office's door.

"Maybe. Let's take a look." Marcus opened the door and his eyes widened.

"Wow." Sandra said with amazement.

"This is more like, a small apartment." Marcus walked towards a glass desktop.

"A jacuzzi?!" Sandra said astonished. "¿Why?"

"Meh, I guess he has it just because he can." Marcus pressed the power button of the computer.

Sandra chuckled. "And we have an old folding bed."

"Alright, it's working." Marcus was sitting in front of the computer.

Sandra laughed, then she jumped to the couch. "You know what? Lincoln really knows about entertainment." Sandra took a videogame controller from the table that was in front of the T.V. "There are two controllers" She looked at Marcus.

Marcus stood up. "Uhm, the pirates?"

"Lionel will finish the program in about twenty minutes anyway." She extended her hand which was holding the other controller.

Marcus thought for a moment, then just raised his shoulders. "That…actually makes sense, give me that." Marcus took the controller from Sandra's hand and sat down on the couch alongside her.

"Please, don't cry after I beat you." Sandra said.

"We will see." Marcus answered.

"Are those, chips?" Sandra looked at a table that had lot's of snacks.

"Okay, this is paradise." Marcus said.

Lionel was finishing the program. "Uhm, could you dictate me this numbers, Burt?" He showed him a sheet of paper, holding it with his raised hand.

"No." Burt turned up the volume of the music that was playing on his phone.

Lionel sighed, then he continued working on the computer. "It doesn't matter, it happens that I've just finished." He connected a pendrive to the computer and dragged the program to it's filesystem. "You are rude…" He jumped from the chair after Kendrick kicked the door to open it.

"Fugitives? Laura, take them with the others." Kendrick began to unplug all of the computers.

"Turn around!" Laura yelled at Lionel.

Lionel did so after throwing the pendrive to the floor carefully. "I'm right here you don't need to…auch!"

Laura tied his hands with a piece of wire. "Walk." She pushed him. "You too!" She said to Burt.

"You are not the boss of me, pirate, I've dealt with worse people than you…hey stop! stop! okay okay calm down calm down!" Burt stood up fast after Laura began to hurt his arm with her hand.

Laura tied Burt's hands too. "Come on, bird." She took them outside of the room.

Kendrick was talking alone. "Well, there really is money on these type of ships." He started to pile up the monitors on a corner.

Marcus growled and threw his controller to the floor. "No way! No one is that good in this game."

Sandra laughed out loud. "Cry all you want, I destroyed you!"

"Yeah, yeah." Marcus looked at his watch. "Forty minutes?!, how? Oh come on Sandra let's go." He ran to the hallway.

Sandra stood up rapidly and followed him. "It's your fault!"

"My fault?! You had the idea to stay there in the first place. "Marcus said.

"Yes, but you were asking for a rematch every time I beat you!" Sandra answered.

"Don't…what the heck?" Marcus arrived at the computer room, and saw Kendrick unplugging the computers.

"Stop right there!" Sandra said as she arrived.

Kendrick began to laugh. "No, you stop right there! I got a weapon, you don't!"

Marcus shook his head. "So where is it."

Kendrick looked around, then he sighed. "Not again!" He facepalmed with embarrassment.

"That was so amateur." Marcus said.

"Shut up!" Kendrick grabbed a metallic chair, then he laughed. "But I got my arms!" He lifted the chair up and smashed it towards Marcus' head, who screamed by the pain and fell to the ground.

Sandra gasped "Marcus!" She turned her gaze towards Kendrick. "You are so dead."

Kendrick kept the chair lifted up. "Bring it on."

Sandra approached him, she evaded a hit from the chair, then she punched his face, Kendrick groaned and threw another hit, Sandra managed to stop the chair with a kick then she threw the chair with her leg, leaving Kendrick unarmed, she jumped and kicked his chest, then she began to punch his face several times until Kendrick fell down unconscious.

Sandra sat down on the floor for a moment, panting after the brief brawl. She gazed at Marcus. "Marcus…are you alive?"

Marcus had his eyes closed, then he chuckled and lifted his arm with a thumb up. "That was awesome."

Sandra started to laugh with relief alongside him. "Just a few moves I learned in the past." She stood up and extended her hand to help Marcus to stand up.

Marcus took her hand to stand up, then he rubbed his head. "Now, where are those guys?"

Sandra saw the pendrive on the floor, she kneeled down and took it. "They must be fine, it seems that the cat did it." She stood up and showed it to Marcus.

Marcus nodded and took the pendrive from her hand. "Back to paradise."

Burt and Lionel were sitting on the floor next to the other hostages. "Hey." Burt murmured.

"What?" Lionel said.

"See that sharp edge on the column?" Burt asked.

Lionel sighed. "Yes I know what you want to do but there is no way they would let you go there."

"Hey! You…dog!" Burt yelled.

Gottfried looked at him. "What do you want! And I'm a wolf you moron!"

Burt chuckled. "Oh I'm sorry, it's just that my friend here thinks that you don't look that menacing, you know."

Gottfried looked furious at Lionel. "Oh? You think so?"

Lionel freaked out a little bit. "What are you doing?!".

"Do you want to get out of this?" Burt said.

Lionel nodded. "Yes."

"I'm talking to you! I have been a nightmare for the worst of the worst!" Gottfried yelled angrily"

"I don't believe you." Lionel said.

"I fought against Zemeckis' regime on Ficina's marginated regions!" Gottfried got even more mad.

Lionel laughed with confidence. "I've never heard that name!"

"Well it's real! See this scar, it's from his blade!" Gottfried pulled up the sleeve of his right arm and showed it to Lionel.

Lionel shook his head arrogantly. "Maybe you got it while cooking."

"Laura! Come here!" Gottfrieds anger had grown exponentially.

"What now?." Laura said.

"This guy doesn't believe I fought in Ficina." Gottfried pointed at Lionel.

"Uhm…" Laura looked away.

"What was that?!" Gottfried asked.

"What?" Laura said.

"That uhm! I know what it means!" Gottfried crossed his arms with disapproval.

"It was just a regular uhm." Laura argued.

Gottfried laughed sarcastically. "Oh no, I am not stupid, that's not a common uhm, it's an I don't believe you at all, uhm!"

Laura snarled. "What the heck are you talking about?! You are crazy!"

"See it! See the scar the irrefutable proof of my victory alongside the Wealthy Warriors!" Gottfried yelled at her while showing his wound in front of her face.

Meanwhile, Burt was getting closer to the sharp edge of the column, then he managed to get his hands on it. "Good." He said to himself, he began to rub the wire on the sharp edge, still paying attention to the pirates, he did so repeatedly until the wire got broken. He then spotted Kendrick's weapon, it was laying on a wall, so he walked cautiously towards it, then he grabbed it. He pointed at both pirates right when their shoulders got aligned, he kneeled on one knee and took a deep breath, then he pulled the trigger.

"Good job Lionel!" Marcus exclaimed when Lionel's' program managed to break the pc's security.

Sandra went to look at the screen. "That boy is smart."

Marcus was moving the mouse. "Here it is, emergency button." He clicked on the icon.

The pirates had dropped their weapons after Burt's action, Gottfried was screaming of pain. "Who the heck…!" He looked all around the place to find the responsible.

Laura was rubbing her shoulder. "Find him." She groaned.

"You will pay when…and that noise?" Gottfried said.

The alarm activated, then a lot of soldiers who were pointing their weapons to the front ran towards the situation. "Hands behind the head, pirates!" Laura and Gottfried surrendered, then two soldiers handcuffed them.

Kendrick woke up, then he came from the hallway. "What the…oh no." He tried to escape but a soldier shot him with a sedative.

Gottfried and Laura were talking while the soldiers were taking them with their captain. "How? How did anyone manage to call them?" Laura said with intrigue.

"We did it." Marcus said suddenly, he and Sandra were next to the captain.

"Hey!" Lionel ran towards them. "I helped too!"

"That's what heroes do bud." Marcus said with a smile, then he untied the wire from his hands.

Burt arrived right after Lionel. "Well, basically, I saved the day, I disarmed those guys."

Sandra looked at him curiously. "You? Actually helped us?"

"On my defense, I just wanted to ensure my safety." Burt pointed at himself.

"Uhm, that doesn't defend you, like, in any way." Lionel said.

"Your welcome." Burt said.

Lionel just sighed and shook his head.

The captain was a panther, his uniform was gray. "You did an excellent job."

"We just, called you." Marcus said.

The captain chuckled. "Calmness, Mr. McCloud, I appreciate that on a person, and all of you demonstrated it."

Marcus nodded. "Thanks Mr…"

"Caroso, at your service, director Lincoln will be pleased to hear that his Tyro Squad has formed already." Captain Caroso looked at the pirates. "And for you, we have a very special place for you in Venom."

"Tyro what?" Burt said to Marcus.

Director Lincoln woke up and he walked towards the captain while rubbing his head. "Captain Caroso, I'm glad you came." They shook hands.

"Thank this courageous team, director." Caroso gazed at them.

"You called them?" Lincoln looked at them.

"Yes, uhm, maybe we broke some rules in the process, we…" Marcus scratched his neck.

"Hacked your computer." Lionel interrupted him.

Lincoln laughed a little bit. "It doesn't matter, I think I got my team for the advanced program."

"Team?" Lionel said.

"Advanced?" Sandra smirked.

"Program?" Burt said with confusion.

Director Lincoln sighed, then he looked at them with a smile. "Fellows, for your bravery and your commitment of keeping things under control, without forgetting the authority and your willingness to take risks, you are officially part of the Tyro Squad."


	2. The Camp, part 1

Star Fox: Tyro Squad

Episode 2: The Camp, part 1

The ship of the institute was arriving at Aquas' only island, Lostfort, a dense forest surrounded by the unending oceans of the planet. The real institute was located over an amount of platforms that shared the ship's colors, it was right in the middle of the forest. The ship landed next to the platforms over a deforested spot designated for that matter. A long ramp opened from the ship and therefore made a path to the outside. The initiates started to walk out to the exterior.

They had arrived at the morning, the initiates started to feel the cold of the forest as soon as they took a step out of the ship's inside, but their astonishment and excitement almost made them to forget that while glancing at the tall and numerous trees all around them, the ground covered with leaves of all sorts, it was something new and spectacular for them, specially for Lionel, who got so distracted by the landscape that he began to get pushed by the crowd that tried to move forward behind him. Some of them did so incidentally, but others did it just to bother him.

"Walk, dork." A male jaguar said, pushing him with his shoulder, making him to fall to the metallic floor of the ramp, the jaguar laughed along with his friends, which looked at Lionel with mockery and continued their way.

Lionel groaned and tried to stand up but he got constantly hit by the hurried steps of other initiates. He suddenly felt a grasp on his T-Shirt behind his neck, someone lifted him from the ground then he looked back just to find out it had been Marcus. "I told you, bud..." Marcus said and patted his shoulder friendly. "Don't get distracted." He adjusted his backpack, while removing some dust from Lionel's.

"Oh, thanks, Marcus." Lionel said. "Sorry I was just seeing the scene and I liked it."

"Of course." Marcus glanced briefly at his surroundings. "Is truly amazing."

"And don't worry, I'm fine, just a few scratches." Lionel responded. "I'm glad I bubble wrapped the interior of my backpack, so everything..." He rapidly took off his backpack and unzipped it, he sighed with relief at seeing that all of his stuff was intact. "Yeah, nothing to worry about, you should bubble wrap your backpack too, is a life saver as you have seen." He put it back on.

Marcus let out a chuckle. "You are full of surprises, Lionel." He started to resume his walking along with his friend. "I wonder where…" He gasped when seeing Sandra hurting a male dog who was pleading her to let him go, he was on the floor and she was standing up next to him while bending his arm.

"Say it! Or I break it!" Sandra warned menacingly and pulled his arm even more, it started to make cracking noises.

"Gah!" The dog yelled with pain. "I'm a worthless piece of trash! I'm a worthless piece of trash!" She let him go right after so, he still repeated the phrase a few times in silence while rubbing his hurt arm, he stood up and gave her a fearful look.

"Shoo!" Sandra exclaimed with a hand gesture. The dog sobbed and walked away from her hurriedly, rather scared and feeling humiliated. Sandra dusted off her hands and took her red suitcase then kept walking.

"Hey!" Marcus hurried towards her between the carelessly walking crowd, followed by Lionel. "Sandra." He said when getting next to her.

"Hi, guys." Sandra said rather coldly, she noticed Lionel sighing behind Marcus.

"Was it…" Lionel was truly fatigued. "…necessary to run that fast, Marcus?"

"Uhm, well, I just wanted the team to meet up as soon as possible." Marcus placed his elbow over Sandra's shoulder.

"Move it now or I'll b…" Sandra's tone of menace was enough for Marcus to understand and move his arm away.

"Oh." Lionel said, having recovered some air. "I see it now." He grinned while raising an eyebrow.

"Just…" Marcus couldn't think on a better answer. "Just shut up and keep moving."

"Okay." Lionel replied. "But I'll stop talking because I want to, not because you tell me to do so, I'm a free…"

"Lionel…" Both Sandra and Marcus said, looking at him warningly.

"Alright." Lionel said, quick and almost silent.

Sandra turned her gaze away, to hide the smirk that Marcus' gesture had provoked. "Where's the bird?" She made up a tone of seriousness.

"Burt?" Lionel asked.

"No, Falco Lombardi." Sandra asked with remarked sarcasm.

"I don't know, then." Lionel didn't get Sandra's mockery.

Marcus chuckled while shaking his head. "He might be late, I bet he is yet in the ship."

"Technically, we are still in the ship, the ramp is part of it." Lionel glared at them with teaching eyes. "So, your statement is not precise."

"I can't believe I'll have to deal with this every single day." Sandra complained.

"There is more from where that came." Lionel responded.

"Oh, now you joke, kid." Sandra crossed her arms and looked at him.

"That was no joke." Lionel felt he was having a spree on the conversation.

Sandra kept glancing at him with a straight face, then she chuckled slightly and looked forward. "Just don't get too comfortable with that."

"Guys!" Burt suddenly got in between Sandra and Marcus, embracing them both with his arms. "Do you think we'll get special treatment here?"

Sandra hit his stomach with her elbow, making him to let them go and cough after a couple of groans. "A simple 'hi' is enough, Burt."

Burt coughed while rubbing his belly. "A simple 'get off me, Burt' is enough, Sandra." He joined them on the walk. "But hey, did you hear what I said?" He wore a black, plastified backpack.

"Yes, Burt, but it won't happen." Marcus said. "We just have a title, that's all."

"Oh, come on! Dream a little!" Burt insisted. "Imagine this, less training, more blasting." He gestured as if he was picturing something. "Waking up late, dining with the bosses." Burt raised his fist with celebration. "Tyro Squad, that's it!"

Sandra sighed. "Burt, you can't be more far from reality."

"Actually…" Lionel intervened. "I've heard that a relaxed environment motives a better chance to increase productivity, on any kind of situation."

"I didn't understand a word of what you have said…but I guess you are at my side on this one, right?" Burt inquired.

"Yup." Lionel said.

"Team 'Special Treatment' then!" Burt put his hand in a high-five position in front of Lionel's face. Lionel grinned and gave Burt the high five he just requested.

"Team Sp…" Sandra rolled her eyes. "Guys, we are just a group with a name, what we are getting is more discipline, actually."

"Absolutely." Marcus added.

Sandra decided to join Burt and Lionel's game. "Team 'Discipline'?" She asked Marcus for a high five, Marcus just responded affirmatively as Lionel did.

"So, what's the bet?" Lionel said.

"Bet?" The other three asked.

"Yeah, the bet." Lionel responded. "If Burt and I are right, we win."

"Uhm, win what?" Sandra inquired.

"I don't know..." Lionel scratched his chin for a moment. "Oh…" He looked at her. "Your food at breakfast!" He snapped his fingers.

"And dinner!" Burt added.

"Yeah and dinner!" Lionel confirmed.

"Oh right like if you two have actually the slightest of chances to win." Sandra sighed but then nodded confidently. "Alright, deal." She extended her hand, Lionel shook it. "But if we win, we get your food, okay?"

"It's a bet, then." Lionel concluded

They finally passed the ramp, getting their feet over the grass of the forest, they walked a little bit more and then spotted Lincoln, who was waiting for the initiates over a wooden stage. The team stopped when the crowd in front of them did so, as Lincoln was a few meters ahead already. "Good morning, future soldiers of the Confederacy." Lincoln spoke through the mic that was in front of him, but the initiates were still talking and mumbling so no one heard him. "Okay, silence." He ordered, managing to reduce the uproar, but some voices were still sounding. "Silence..." Those remaining voices disappeared, Lincoln stared warningly at the whole crowd, a chuckle echoed randomly after so, but then everyone payed attention. "That's right."

"Is it me or this guy really likes stages?" Lionel murmured to Sandra, who blatantly ignored him.

"This place will forge your strength, your capacity and your heart." Lincoln explained. "No games and no luxuries, just pure old school formation, like the one I received when I was your age." Lincoln exhaled with nostalgia. "Good times." He refocused his attention at the introduction he was giving. "Anyway, today we'll start with the activities, I believe you have three outdoor competitions programmed but I'm not sure."

"Like, games?" A male voice said from the crowd.

"What did I just tell you?" Lincoln took the microphone. "No…games, this is a rude place, only the toughest will survive the rudeness of Lostfort, cadet."

"But what you said sounded like that." The voice insisted.

"They are hard, painful activities, you will form teams and compete against the others, using your skills to get to the top." Lincoln explained.

"Hey! I think that's on my dictionary!" A different, farer voice said, then a beep sounded. "Yes, right here."

Lincoln growled. "Okay, maybe there will be some games, but that's all! And you can take whatever you want from the vendor machines and there's a lounge with TV and games so you can relax after a rough day! And I don't know why I'm yelling that!" He sighed and kept speaking, this time leveling his tone. "Alright, maybe there are luxuries too, but, this place, uhm, is tough, that's what I wanted to say." He said rather unsure of his own words. "Well, time is running, I shall get you to your quarters." He went down the staircase at his left and began to walk towards the forest, he then turned as he noticed no one was following him.

"Uhm, sir, I think the institute is that way." A male german shepherd said while pointing at the huge platform before them, he was at the front of the crowd.

Lincoln laughed. "No, cadet. You will have to earn that, all of you. For now, the woods will be your home and training camp. If you train well and get better, then you'll get transferred." Before resuming his steps, he turned again. "No luxuries, after all." He grinned and finally kept walking.

"Oh he tricked us!" The first voice exclaimed. "Cool!"


End file.
